Concrete pavement finishing machine



P 1', 1953 D. c. JONES 2,650,525

CONCRETE PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 7, 1948 lil mmvrm Sept. 1, 1953 D. C. JONES CONCRETE PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Sept. 1, 1953 D. c. JONES CONCRETE PAVEMENT FINISHING momma 6 Sheets-Sheet 55 Filed Oct. 7, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

' Sept. 1,1953

Filed 001%, 7, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 mhr IIIII INVENTOR.

Sept. 1, 1953 D. c. JONES CONCRETE PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 7, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 1, 1953 D. c. JONES CONCRETE PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 7, 1948 w fm Patented Sept. 1, 1953 GON CRETE PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHI Daniel C. Jones, Port Washington, Wis., assignor to Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation Application October 7, 1948, Serial No. 53,213

8 Claims.

My present invention relates to the art of road building machines of the class designed for laying concrete roads. Speaking more particularly, my invention embodies certain novel improvements in the type of finishing machines disclosed by U. S. patent of William U. Vinton, No. 2,084,068, issued June 15, 1937, which machine is mounted to travel longitudinally over the road subgrade on which concrete aggregates have been laid, and utilizes a longitudinal finishing screed that is moved bodily transverse or crosswise of the road as the machine advances, for giving the final finish tothe surface of the deposited concrete aggregates.

Dealing primarily with the objectives of my present invention, it is noted that most concrete roads are formed with a crown for drainage purposes, the crown affording a curvature upwardly from one edge of the road to the middle portion thereof, and thence downwardly toward the other edge of the road, as well known in the art. Now under present road construction methods the crown is gradually reduced to a fiat surface around curves and also at the approaches to bridges. The transition in the formation of the road surface from the crown road to a fiat road structure is usually performed in a distance approximating eighty to one hundred feet at the approach to the curve, and thereafter the flat surface is discontinued'and in a distance of approximately the same amount as previously stated, the surface of the road is brought back to its crown formation from the fiat surface at the curve.

Certain improvements of my present invention deal with the problem just referred to in that in my finishing machine there are certain provisions made for adjusting the supporting means for the screed disposed longitudinally of the road and carried by a carriage which traverses the road transversely, such that, during the operation of my machine, such provisions will enable the same to finish either crown or fiat surface structures for the road, or any predetermined proportion of crown effect may be made by simple adjustment of the said provisions controlling the operation of the screed and its movement transversely of the road while being carried forward longitudinally of the latter. By my unique provisions for supporting the screed in an adjustable manner as above referred to, it is possible to gradually reduce the crown of the road as a curve section thereof is approached until the curve is actually reached, at which time the finishing machine may be operated so that the road is substantially entirely flat at the curve, and thereafter the reverse operation of the action of the screed may be produced to obtain again the gradual crown as the machine leaves the curve until the point of the road where the full crown effect desired is to be used.

The mechanical instrumentalities by which I am enabledto vary the crown formation of the road surface in finishing until the surface is required to be formed flat, and then so formed, comprise an important feature of improvement of my present invention.

Still another objective of my invention has been to provide special means for adjusting the frame of the machine relatively to the road forms on which the machine operates by utilizing certain controlling adjustments for the wheels which are usually supported on the frame adjacent to the corner portions thereof, and which wheels travel on the road forms. Dealing with this phase of my invention, I might note that the carriage which travels crosswise of the road and supports the longitudinal screed during the finishing operation is mounted to travel on rollers which move along tracks that extend transverselyof the road and are afiixed to the frame for the purpose mentioned. In machines of my construction the frame of the machine is made in sections so as to enable the sections to be taken apart or collapsed so as to reduce the size of the machine when being shipped to the job or taken from one job to another. When the machine reaches a new job, the sections are bolted together in their proper relation for the particular width of road being handled. Occasionally, due to the above collapsing and restoration of the machine to its working condition, it is found that one corner of the frame may be a small distance, such as an eighth of an inch, low or high, and, under these conditions, the screed would finish the road slightly low or high in that corner, as the case may be. Instead of adjusting certain adjustable tracks provided for the carriage that carries the screed, therefore, I have devised special cam means by which a wheel located at any corner of the machine may be slightly raised or lowered if it should be found, when the machine is set up, that such corner is a little too high or low, and needs slight re-levelling. The camming mechanism of this portion of my invention involves the employment of eccentric mounting shafts for the wheels, the detail features of which, and operation, will be more fully set forth later herein.

In the operation of the longitudinal finishing screed used in the machine of my invention, as

.to pile up slightly at such side of the screed until the latter reaches the; side of the road subgrade adjacent-to the road form.

Another feature of my invention resides in cer:

tain novel means which I provide for raising the i A screed bodily to enable the carriage-tocarry the screed to the outer side of said piled up materials; so that they may be returned and distributed over the road surface on the next returnmover ment of the screed, toward-the opposite side of the road subgrade and road forms located adjacent thereto.

The improvements of my invention are i1lus-.

trated in the annexed drawings, and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is a general view somewhat diagrammatic in its nature in that'small details are not fully illustratedshowing a finishing machine embodying the general structure with which my improvements are used.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine bringing out more fully the adjusting instrumentalities for the screed, the arrangement of the carriage that travels on the transversely arranged pairs of tracks, and certain of theother operating instrumentalities that form features of the invention, the view being taken generally on -th'e line 2-2-of Figure 15.

Figure 3 is atransverse sectional view through the frame of the machine, bringing out more clearly the arrangement of the endless chains which are connected to the opposite ends of the screed and movethe same crosswise of the road, also bringing out the arrangement of each pair of tracks located near the ends of the screed, one of said tracks being flat and the other being curved for obtaining the flat and crowned surfaceformations of theroad when finished by the machine.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing largely the-hydraulic instrumentalities employed for bodily lifting the screed when it reaches a point adjacent the side edge of the road being laid, to carry the screed over the materials that pile up at the advancing side thereof in the manner shown in Figure 14.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view-showing a-corner-portionof the frame of-the machine and the manner of mounting the wheel located at this corner so that it may be-adjusted-upwardly or-downwardlyby the camming eccentrically supported-shaft.

Figure 6 is avertical sectional view, somewhat fragmentaryin nature as to the frame construction,- the section being taken about on the line 6- -5 of Figure 5, and bringing out the operating features fortheeccentric adjusting shaft.

Figure 7 is a view, partly broken away as to the frame structure, and looking toward adjusting devices seen in Figure Gfrom the right hand end of the view to show the adjusting arm and the spring pressed locking pin which'cooperates with a selected one of the series of openings in the adjacent guide bracket.

Figure 8is a sectional view broken away and taken about on the line 88 of Figure 7 to bring out the eccentrically disposed journals supporting the shaft which is adjustable vertically and carries a wheel located at-each; corner of the mainframe of the machine.-

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken about on the line 9-9 of Figure 12, bringing out the arrangement of the two pairs of rollers located at each end of the carriage, one pair supported on the curved tracks for obtaining the desired crown of the road surface, and the other pair adapted to travel along. the flat tracks which control the forming of'the fiat surface of the road when ultimately finished.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view, enlarged as comparedtoFigure 2, showing more clearly certain of the adjusting lever, compensating link, and other connecting parts between the carriage and screed-"as located at each end of the latter;

also the'track' and roller means coacting with the carriage and screed, for controlling the full crown,- partial crown, and flat travel movements of the. screed. In this view the parts are ad- 'justed'for obtaining a road surface of maximum crown, the screed and carriage moving together with full weight of the screed on the carriage.

Figures 11 and 12 are views similar to Figure 10, Figure 11 showing the adjusted positions of the parts as when a part of the screed weight is transferredto the rollers on the fiat track for reducing the crown effect of the screed one-half according to the particular adjustments; Figure 12 showing the adjustment of the parts as when controlling movement of the screed such that no crowned finishing effect-is obtained, but; instead, flat-surface finishing only. I

In Figures 10, 11, and 12 the base line a: indi= cates the height of the road forms.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken about on the i line l3--l3 of Figure'12 and bringingout the cooperation of the screw shaft on the adjusting lever by which the upper pivotal connection of the compensating linkais shifted ilongitudinally of the lever for various adjustments for a .pur-

pose to be more fully described in detail.

Figure 14 is a sectional view showing how the screed works on the surface of the concrete aggregates toward one side of the road, with the materials slightly piling in front of the working i side of the screed preliminary to lifting thescreed other parts.

Figure 16 is a detail perspective View showing more particularly the connecting means between the screed supporting levers and the supporting and guide boxes or housings near the ends of the screed.

Describing th general construction ofthemae chine of my invention with the improvements hereinbefore referred to, it will be readily seen from Figures 1, 2, and 15, that said machine comprises a rigid frame composed of the side channels or beams l, the front cross member 2, and the rear cross member 3,, the cross members rigidly attached to the side beams I..

There will be mounted upon the frame of the machine a suitable motor for driving certain of the wheels of the machine, so that the latter may be steadily moved forwardlyalong the road subgrade with the wheels rolling on the side. forms at opposite sides of the subgrade, as the machine progresses in doing its finishing work upon the concrete aggregate laid upon the subgrade-between the road forms.

The motor of the machine will be drivingly connected, as by means of a shaft 4 and gear unit 5 seen in Figure 15, to a longitudinal shaft 6 disposed at one side of the machine for driving the carriage back and forth. The shaft 6 will be equipped with sprocket gears arranged to drive the sprocket chains 1, the lower laps of which are equipped with attachment members 8 that are fastened to hanger brackets or channels 9 rigidly secured at their upper edges to the screed supporting carriage II], the hanger means 9 forming a part of the general carriage structure and extending transversely in relation to the carriage I0.

In Figure 3 the shaft 6 is shown with its sprockets 6a with: the chains 1 passing therearound, said chains extending to the opposite sidebeam I of the frame and around sprockets Ila disposed at the inside of said latter beam I, and carried by short shafts II. I

The carriage I0 may be made of fabricate metal parts to afford a rigid structure, said parts including depending members I2 near the ends of the top of the carriage, vertical brackets I3 extending downwardly from the inner spaced ends of the members I2 and having secured to their lower ends the narrow platform I4 on which an operator may stand and move toward either-the front or rear cross members 2 and 3, respectively, for the purpose of reaching certain of the operating instrumentalities of the adjustable devices for supporting the screed. on the carriage.

As previously indicated, my machine being of the longitudinal finishing machine type, the screed employed is a longitudinal screed and is designated I5. The supporting means for the said screed are mounted on the carriage I0 and will shortly be described. It is notable first, however, that the carriage I0 is adapted to operate along two sets or pairs of track members, seen best in Figures 2 and 9, each pair of track members including the outer crowntrack I6 and the inner flat track I1, one pair of track members I6 and I1 being mounted upon the front cross member 2 of the frame of the machine, and the other pair mounted on a rear cross member 3. The track members I1, which are flat and horizontal, are supported by the adjustable bolts I8 held in place by suitablenuts and passing through the upper horizontal flange of the particular member 3 or 2 on which the track I1 is carried. In like manner the crown track member I6 of each pair is supported by bolts I9 which are attached to the upper flanges of the members 2 and 3 in the same way as are the tracks I1.

For varying the crown of the crown track I 6 at the front and rear ends of the frame I contemplate that the bolts IS may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly to thereby flex the angle plate that forms each track member I6 whereby to modify the arc of curvature of the same. In this manner the arc of the crown to be produced on the road surface materials may be correspondingly varied or changed to meet the requirements of different specifications on different road jobs.

This method of varying the curvature of the track members I6 is known to the art and is to be found in prior United States patent of Thorson, No. 1,832,951, issued November24, 1931, in substantially the same manner as this feature of my invention is used as above described.

I employ a unique supporting mounting be-: tween each end of the carriage I0 and screed I5.

and the adjacent pair of track members I6 and I1. The supporting means for such purpose is shown clearly in Figures 9, 11, and 12, and referring to Figure 9 it will be observed that at each end of the carriage I0 there is provided a pair of rigidly mounted rollers 20 just underneath the carriage. These rollers 20 are adapted to travel on the lateral flanges that form the track members I6 located outwardly of the track members I1, for each end of the carriage. Thus the rollers 20 move on what I term the crown track members I6 and as they travel on said members the carriage will move on an arc of curvature corresponding with the arcs of curvature of the mem-' bers I6. Additionally at each end of the carriage II) I provide a pair of rollers 2I which are supported by posts 22 that slide through guide members 23 formed at the ends of the carriage I0. Each pair of rollers 2I is connected at its upper end by a cross piece 24 so that the two roller and their mounting means 22 are rigid units. The cross piece 24 is a sort of angle plate and is engaged at its central portion by the head of a bearing screw 25 carried by a lug 26 offstanding inwardly and integrally formed with the sleeve like adjusting lever 21. Said lever 21 is pivoted at its lower outer portion at 28 to a bracket 29 fixed to the adjacent outer end of the carriage I II. The lever 21 is formed at its opposite sides with arc-shaped slots 30 which register transversely of the lever and receive therethrough trunnion pins 3| carried by a nut 32 received in the hollow space of the body structure of the lever 21. At its upper end each lever 21 has a screw shaft 33 passing therethrough and connecting with the nut 32 so as to move said nut up and down on and in the lever 21 incident to rotation of the crank handle 34 at the upper end of said shaft 33. The trunnion pins 3I of the nut 32 are pivotally connected with spaced compensating links 35 at the outer ends of saidlinks, and said links are curved at said outer ends in the direction of the adjacent outer extremity of the carriage 10. Movement up and down of the nut 32 will shift the trunnion pins and upper ends of the links 35 of each of the adjusting units at each end of the carriage III, the trunnion pins 3I in this opera: tion being shiftable lengthwise of the arc-shaped slots 30 in the sides of the lever 21, and the lever 21, by reason of other connections of the links 35, being able to rock a certain small degree of movement as illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings, and in Figure 12.

At their lower end each pair of compensating links 35 is attached at the pivotal point 36 to a three-armed lever 31, one of the arms of which is pivoted at 38 to a bracket 39 secured to the upper portion of an adjacent hanger bracket 9 which depends from the carriage ID as previously described. The third arm of the lever 31 of the screed supporting and track roller controlling unit, one of which is at each end of the carriage I0 is connected by a link rod 40 at the pivot point 4| of said lever arm. The link rod 46 is of the adjustable turnbuckle type, see the turnbuckle 42 in its length, and the lower end of said rod 46 is pivotally connected at 43 to a lifting lever 44. The lever 44 of each of the units now being described is pivoted at 45 to the axis of a top roller 45a of a vertical roller bracket 45b having side vertical rollers 450. The rollers a and 450 support and guide the screed I5 by cooperation with a guide box or housing 46, during the longitudinal movement of the screed later described. One of the boxes 46 is carried by each endof the ensure-5 screed 1 5 The lever :44 at its end opposite ithe pivot i48iis arranged to extendl into auguidemem b'er assembly movably supported on i the outer sideof "the depending member l3ladjacentthere+ to; which member I 3 supports :one .end. i of the platform or walk l4;v In said assembly-the guide 41 receives acvertical slide block 48E movabl up and'down and 1 pivotally attached at its upper endat-49'to the adjacent end ot'thefleveri im-i. At, its lower end. the guide block "45mg pivotallyvat-v taehed-to a-stabilizing nukes) at th'e point 51 and theopposite end' of the link 56 'ifromthat :pivoted at 5 i enters 'the boX-'46 and is fulcrumed on rolier brack'et'45b' at the point designated .52 in F-igure 11; Eachof the units under descriptionu-is equipped :with' a :link '53 'pivotally attached to the-lever 44 :and the-block 48 at th'e pivotrpoint 49, and the upper end of the linkatfi :is pivoted to .lthe'lower arm oi'a bell crank-lever '54:sup! ported at i the lower portion of the member. l 2 rigid with the underside ofthe adjacent'endaof the carriage Ill;

As seen in Figure-2, the levers '54' are oppositely disposed, and theupper end. of each leverzis connected by a link-member 55 =to a ram operated lever 56 1ocated midway between the two levers 54 and' mounted upon a bracket carriedby the middle o'f -the carriage 13. The piston rods 51 f a-=hydraulic ram 58 carried by the carriage l 6 near its middle portion: is pivotally connectediat the-pivot point 59 attaching oneof the links 55 tothe-lever- 56.

It will be evident from the foregoing that/by energizing the ram 58 to supply-a pressurizing fliiid to forcethepiston rod t! in a leftwardl'di reetion,- as seen in Figure rthe lever-fifi may-be operated or rocked tocorrespondingly rockstne levers-54 and raise the inner armsof therlevers 54, thereby toraise th'e rollers 45a on thesbrackets 456 through the 1 action ofthe lifting links :53.

' In this manner the screed lfi 'lay meansoh boxes 46- resting on roll'e'rs iii a attached to. levers-d4 of the screed may Joe-bodily lifted-insubstantial-pan allelism with the road surfacefor thepurposefiof V elevating the screed from aposition: as shown at the left in Figure l ig toa positionsuch-as shown in the right in Figure 414 in dotted lines, at which latter "position when assumed by lowering :the screed; the movementof the -screed:acrosszsthe roadis reversed so asto carry the pildiupzma terial designated 6U in Figure 14 in: a leftward direetion or reverse to-its movement as previously effected when the screed I is moving to theiright toward'the road form rfi I.

The control means for the ram-58 may be diver sified 'toa' certain extent to the degree of utiiizing various such-means. In themeans illustrated, 62; see Figure 4,denotes the controlwalve which is readily operable by an operator standing: on the walk [4 where he islo'cated quite convenient for operating the screw shafts 33,- and clutch levers controlling motion of themachine. 7. There Will-be supplied the oil'reservoir 531 pump 64$and pressureand return lines fi5 'and ii'fij respectively; which leadto the valve casing M wherethe control valve 62-islocated. For enabling fthe pres sure and return lines '65 "and GE :tomaintaintheir connection with the carriage lfl throughout th'e travelling movement of= the carriage upon the tracks IB' and Il,rig id pipe sections fiia and 66d lead from the lines 65 and 66 at coupling-points with the :latterin a vertical-direction Rigid sec-.. tio'nsBEa and 6611- are mounted upon 'a springcor otherwise resiliently supported:block fi8- an'd are connected by flexible conduits- 65b and' 6Bb, re'- spectively; to pipe sections 65c and- 66e, respectively; which -connect 'with the tvalve casing 61. The spring whi'ch supports thee-block 68 :is desig nated 69 andenables-the pipe sections fi 5aand 6 Ba to swingnina direction lengthwise of the frame of the machine.undentensionincident to the pull of theline sections-65b and BBbas-the-carriage I!) approachesthe limits of its 'movement 5 toward opposite-sides of the-frameof the-machine. The spring 69 may be'attached 'firm'ly inv any substantial manner to theframeeof the imachine 'upon the rear crossmember m Referring-now -toFigures 5 to Bof the drawings; inclusive, I show therein the mannerwf mounting the-"supporting wheels of the machine-,: which wheels roll upon theroad forms-tl at opposite sides .-.ofthe subgrade, between :which -forms -the concrete:aggregatesfrom which the road'isfibuilt, are laid; It is contemplated-" that'the-wheels:of the main frame or the machine, desi-gnatedL'lO, shall. be located near: th cornerseof vthe frame and the 'pairs of wheels at opposite Sideswfthe machine are to be adjustable toward and from each other f or I the purpose of 'enablin'gth'e -machine to beusedupon roads of different 1 widths. With theabove in View, as seen clearly in Figure 6;'I provide :an. axle- H for-each wheel 10,- which axle is mountedinbearingsatthe-lower end-of vertically movable guide members J2 attached tocthe :front and rear rend portions of:- themech'ine'. where each wheel is-- to be located or mounted; The guide members 1 2 which carry the axle for each wheel are supporteditin vertical guides 113 carried by the frame; A yoke-member '54 has bearings at :its ilower -leg portions :through which: the axle "H "passes and the upper end of the yoke member :14 has bearings for receiving the adjusting shaft 15 which parallels' the axle 1| and is disposed spaced above-- said axlea A screw'shaft 16 :is .swivelly connectedat its outer end; which is .poly sidedv at-16it-to receivea turning: handle v or wrench; l and i said screw 1 passes throughzacnut: 11! mounted: on itheyoke member 14. By turning the screw. 16 the yoke member -74 which engages the-wheel- In -at opposite sides of the hub portion thereof is enabledito cause the wheel 10"to-: be.1movedinwardly and outwardly on'its' axle H for-adjfiustingthecdistance of said wheel '10 from 'a corresponding wheel at the other side of the machine-so that :such :distancewill conform with-the distance of the --space between the road "forms 6 thatare used to support the machine in its travelmovement forwardly on the road subgra'de; I

As previously indicated-'in the statement of "my invention,- I contemplate that my machine shall be susceptible of slight vertical adjustmentof the frame at the :corner portions thereof in order toilevelize thesame and enable the screed 15 w accurately perform-"its functi'on of forming the crown offthe roador making the w surface exactly flat or making formationsintermediate suchextremes of curvature and' fiatness. With this in mind, the shaft 15 which-supports the-yoke-mem'-' ber 14' and; by cooperation with the uides '12, supportsthe -wheel -'|0,-' is formed-at .the ends thereof WifiHihBeCGEntfiC bearing -pins 18,- the end of the inner oneof-which' pins is pinned-at l9 to a shifting and adjusting armBflh By rockin'g -*the'arm 8ll t0 the left or- -right, as seen in Figure 7, the shaft 2 15 may be turned with the eccentric pins TB- 'as axis='members,- whereby to raise the-wheel dEl anditsaXle 1i and the guide member's-12, or lower these parts-as a unit. The shiftingxarm 8!) is equipped wi-ththe spring I ac- 9 tuated latch pin 8| to enter a selected one of the openings Bla arcuately arranged on the cross member la which is fixed to the frame structure of the machine. The adjustment required for the wheel III in up and down direction incident to the turning of the shaft 15 is very slight, being usually only a fraction of an inch, so that the adjusting means 80, I8, and I is readily effective to levelize the machine to a necessary extent at the corner portions thereof where the wheels are located.

As seen in Figures 1, 2, and 15, the shaft 4 operates an eccentrically actuated pitman 82 which is connected with a rocker lever 83 pivoted at 84 on the frame of the machine near the rear end of the machine. At its lower end the rocker member or lever 83 supports one end of a swinging shoe 85 which extends entirely across the frame of the machine at the rear end. There will be two sets of the members 82 and 83, one

near each end of the shaft 4, so that the shoe 85 is hung on the lower end of the two rocker levers 83, and during the forward progress of the machine over the road subgrade, upon the road forms 6 I the shoe 85 will be moved forwardly and backwardly. On the rear end of the screed are carried two vertically extending posts 86, one in front and one in rear of the shoe 85. Thus, as the screed is carried back and forth transverscly of the frame of the machine to perform viously identified herein. In such longitudinal movement rollers 450 in boxes 45 guide the screed l5.

As shown in the drawings, the adjusting levers 21 are provided on the sides thereof with scale marks for coaction with the pivots 3| of the compensating links 35 to indicate the degree of adjustment of the connection between the links 35 and said lever. The scale marks are identified by scale numbers ranging from 1 adjacent to the pivots 28 of the levers 21, to 10 adjacent to the upper ends of the slots in the levers. The purpose of the said indicia will appear in the following description of the operation of my invention.

With the construction of my machine as above set forth in mind, it will be understood that the screed l5 finishes the road to the same crown as controlled by the outside tracks I6 when the links are adjusted to determine such crown. Moreover, the screed will finish the road to any proportional crown down to a fiat surface as controlled by the inner tracks 11, dependent upon the adjustment of the compensating links 35 for transferring the weight of the screed partly or entirely to the fiat track rollers 2|, during traverse of the carriage and screed across the road. The outside pairs of rollers 20 at the ends of the carriage Ill always carry the weight of the carriage and run back and forth on the track members 16 which are, set to the predetermined crown. The carriage l0 always follows the curved path of the crowned track members 16 as the carriage traverses crosswise of the road back and forth from side to side. The inner pairs of rollers 2| run on the fiat track members H, as previously described, but these rollers can move up and down incident to the sliding action of their posts 39 in the ends of the carriage l0. Thus by adjustment of the links 35' relatively to the levers 21, whereby the weight of the screed I5 is transferred in part from the carriage ID to the abutment or cross members 24 and thereby to the rollers 2| on the flat tracks ll, the crowned surface produced when the screed I5 is wholly supported by the carriage I0, may be eliminated entirely, or partially according to the requirements at theparticular curve of the road which is in process of finishing.

The operation of the machine in producing a full crowned road surface, and in reducing the curve of the crown gradually, and entirely eliminating the crown, will now be described upon reference to Figures 10, 11, and 12 of the drawings which are sectional views through the machine at a central point in the lengths of the crowned tracks I6 located at the middle of the road, at which point these tracks are highest from the road forms. In each of these views the height or top plane of the road forms, constituting the machine tracks, is denoted by the line X, and a line Y is employed to indicate the maximum crown of the finished surface and amount of crown eliminated when less than the entire curve of the crown is to be produced.

The condition of operation depicted by Figure 10 will first be set forth. Of course the links 35 and their connections to the screed l5, and the levers 2'5 and their connections to the links 35, will be as shown in Figure 10, for both sets of said parts connecting the carriage l0 and the screed :5, one set only being illustrated.

New with the links 35 adjusted with their pivot connections 3! in what may be called zero positions on the scale on each lever 21 (Figure 10) it will be apparent thatduring the movement of the carriage it! across the road the weight of the screed !5 is supported solely by the carriage I0. Therefore, the screed will follow at its finishing edge the same curve or contour that the carriage l 0 does as the latter rides on track rollers 20 and curved tracks Hi, from one end of the tracks to the other, and as many times as the carriage is moved back and forth.

Under the above condition of operation, the rollers 2| and flat tracks I! perform no operating function, The rollers idle on the tracks I1, and the posts 22 slide down and up in their guides 23, as. the carriage and screed rideup and down, respectively, on the curve of the crown tracks Hi. The cross or abutment members 24 move with their connected posts 22, and the members 24 are out of engagement with the stop or abutment screws 25 on the levers 21.

The operation with the parts as in Figure 10 will produce a full crowned road surface with the maximum of curve or crown obtainable by the machine, indicated in said figure by the amount of space between the lines X and Y. This crown is fixed as to height, relatively speaking, by the distance between the plane of the fiat tracks I1 and the top point of the curve of the crown tracks l6, see lines at Z in Figures 10, 11, and 12. i

Now let us suppose that the machine hereof has been used to the extent of gradual elimination of the full crown finishing action, on a curve in the road, so that reduction of the crown (elimination, in other words) to one-half of the normal maximum will be required. The operator will actuate the screw shafts 33 to shift the pivot points-3 I of links-35 to the number "positions .on, the indicia-sca-les. of-the levers 2-1, as seen. in Figure 11. Thus; When the carriage lit-and screed lharecausedto travel across the road after the said adjustment of the links 35, the levers 21 by the screwsifi engagement .withthe cross members -24- transfer a part of the weight of the screed to the fiat track rollers 2 l. Therefore, as the screed l5 moves back and forth 'withthe partsrso adjusted, the levers 21 are movable downward, see-Figure 11,to an extent governed nowby: the change in the adjustment of the pivot connections 3| (from the..position.of Figure andsthisaction duringthe movement upwardly of the rollers 20. relatively to the rollers 2 I allows the-screed; L5 to move on-a. curved are such as to eliminate oneehalf (five-tenths) of the crown of theroad obtainedaccord-ing to the adjustment ofthepartsin Figure 10. .Thus. as the carriage |.0.move5. aorossithe. road'it follows the path of the curvedtrackst6, while the-screed l-5 moves downwardly and. travels. in an..-arc of movement establishingacrown of oneehalf the depth of that obtained when the. parts areadjusterlas in Figure ml The distancelof. movement of the levers.2'!.in the Figure,.l1 illustration is indicated by the are marked ..a between pivot BI and the arrow shown. Obviously,.if the pivots 3| were adjusted to the number 3 positionson levers 21,.the extent of. reductionof .the crown would be three-tenths .of the total maximum. crown depthobtainable, andso on.

With the=links.35lpivots. in any position from those indicated as 1 to '10, the levers 21 through the stop screwsj engage or rest. on the cross or abutment members .24, enabling the screed litomove. down one or-moretenths extentoflmovement, as determined by the scale adjustments. of l the pivots. 3i for shifting movementofthelevers 21, andthe transfer of weight of the screeidlS .l-to-thefl'at. track rollers 2| as set forth, during the traversing, movement of. the screed.

.When the pivots 3l..are.adjusted,to the upper ends. ofthescalesoflevers 21,. as. indicated by the. number 10 indicia.,,ten-tenths.of the crown depth of the screed. controlled movement is eliminated. In other words. in thenumber 10 position-therelativeup movement of .the carriage [0 onthe crowntracks [6 hasnoeffect whatsoever to raisethegscreedinits travel. The carriage merelvtravels. its usual courseonthe curve ofthe tracks. ['6 whileduringallof. thesaid travel the weightof .the screed l5.as supported by the rollers ..2l on the flat track l1 maintains the screed .in .the path of straight travel of the tracks I1. Thescreed never rises under this condition which is depicted in Figure 12 of the drawings and therefore the mead materials on thesubgrade. are.finishedflat. Of course,.in the operation. of..the, screed .atithenumber ..l0..posi.-- tions .of the...p.arts,. as referred. to, and;shown .by Figure -12,lsince thecarriage. l,0.rises..on thecrown track-s H5, in-the.traversingmovementnf thewcarrriage and screedovertheroad materials, thelevers 21 will rockldown, from .their. position of Figure 10ito thatof..Figure12,.the maximum .throw of said levers, for eliminating all crown finishing effectof thescreednas shownvbyuthe arc .b..on.F-igure,l2l

Summarized, ritlmaylbe. noted, that. an operator of the machine described would. have the. links +adiusted .to .their zer positions. of .Figure .10 during .orldinary general use of theamachine in finishin-gthe. road surface. Asacurve inthe road reached; the. operator will begin; reducing ithe crown :finishing, or eliminatiomof crown ieffiect, by; shifting at. intervals .the link 35 1 pivots :3 l number 1 positions,-then--to theinumber '2 positions,.then to number lid-positions,-and;;so on, up luntil the number i=0 positions ;are reached; whereupon: the road at the curvezmay be: sfinished with a fiat surface. From the fiat surface. formation to. the i full crownzsurfaceline volvesmerely a: reversal ofthe order of-adjustment, namely, periodic adjustment oftthe; pivots 3| to number 9,"8, '7; positions and-,so'on down until zero positions restore the full. crown finishing operation oftthe screed;

It isnecessaryto adjust the-screw-shafts-33 on opposite ends of the carriage- ID for difierentindieia setting in the process of making the transitionfrom. a fiatto crown road, and-vice,versa. Thus: if the ind-iciaesettingon-the forward unit 21 is at ;5, thenthatifor the rear unit 21-wou1d be at 4 'whengoing-from the'ifiat to crowned road surfacingor finishing. The I reverse order of: setting-would beusedin going from-a crowned road surface to the flat-finishing.

The operator standing on the.;.platform or catwallrll watches the. progress of-thescreed l5 crosswise o-fthe. roadandwhenthescreed nearlyreach-es theroadformtl at onesside oft-the road, he willvelevate .the screedso-that itv will pass over the -material designated 60 in Figure L4, in advance thereof, by operation of. the hydraulic controlling .valve=6.2. Then the. screed 5 will be lowered just above the eform -.-6 I; and the movement of the screed at this n time is. reversed (and the material at is pushed-backtowardthe opposite-side of the, road to enter small 1 pockets or. depressions I that may. have been left in the surface on thefirst: mentioned. movement of the screedtoward the form- 6L above mentioned.

One way to explai-n the peculiar action ,of i the mechanism of this invention ishto-point.out-that the member comprised of rollers 2|, post;2;2 .and angleplate 24, .is..-a control member adapted. to influence thecrowning action. This .is accomplished by reason. of the: factv that! the lever- 2] is connected at thepoint-28 and isinreffeotrohably-supported with the. carriage Iii-by rollers Elton-the cro\vned..track,, I 6. Another .point .constitutesthe trunnion pin .3I at .theend. of the link. 35, .from which 1 the screed l5 is suspended and=is movable alongz the. lever in the slot 30.

A lug ,26 projects into the path .of vertical movement or travelofthe control. member, and as the carriage ll] rises and falls in its travel l across theframethe controlmernber isadapted to'abut theJug and-thusprevent the lever 21 from moving fartherdownwardly at its outer end- The amountaof this movement.is regulated by the adjustment of the point $31. in the slot 30, effected by manipulating. the crank .34. It should beunderstood that movement of the point 3| from the position of Figure 10 at which maximum crowning-movement isprovided, to the position of Figure 12,v efiec-tsrgradual elimination of theicrowning actionof thescreed, and that as seenin FigurelQ-thelugifi does not coactwith the angle Ztduring movement ofthe carriage; but inFig-ure. 12, thelluguisin constant engagement with the angle 24 throughout thetransverse movement oflthe screed.

:Still another way to describethe action of the crown controlling arrangement heretofore set forth is-to state that the pathof travelof the. carriage I0, .is. alwaysth-atof the crowned-track l fihsince tthecarriage. is supported .by rollers -20 13 connected thereto. The carriage It! thus always follows the are determined by the crowned track. As shown in Figure 10 the maximum amount of crown is afforded with the weight of the screed entirely supported through rods 40, levers 31, compensating links 35, levers 21, on brackets 29 fixed to the outer ends of the carriage 10. Ad-

justment of the fulcrum points 29 and 3| through" crank handle 34 from the position of Figure 10 to that of Figure 11 will clearly effect a lowerin of that end of the screed. This will bring the bearing screw 25 in position close to the angle plate 24 which is supported on the rollers 21 at the lower ends of posts 22, the rollers 2i being movable along the flat track ll.

If thereafter the carriage It) moves from its central position intermediate the sides i of the machine, to the position as shown in Figure 15 for example, the crosspieces 24, moving in planes parallel to the tracks i1, will have come into contact with the bearing screws 25 and the weight of the screed it will have been transferred to the rollers 2| by such abutment and the levers 21, links 35, levers 31, and rods 40 connected to the levers 44, by which the screed is supported. This will have been caused by reason of the fact that while the carriage It] has in effect been moving downwardly from the high points of the crowned tracks as shown in Figures 10, 11, and 12 toward the lower outer ends of the said tracks, yet the positions of the crosspieces 24 has remained the same with the said bearing screws 25 in contact therewith. Further if the handles 3d are moved into the positions shown in Figure 12 when the carriage I0 is at the center of the machine as respects its sides I, subsequent movement of the carriage to one side of that center point will cause the weight of the screed to be transferred to the fiat track rollers through the links and levers previously described. Thus the points at which the weight of the screed will be transferred from the rollers 20 to the rollers 2| may be varied by the adjustment above mentioned, between none at all as shown in Figure to the maximum as shown in Figure 12, the crown of the finished road being thus correspondingly varied from the maximum of Figure 10 to none at all in Figure 12.

The abutment screws 25 are installed and adjusted during the erection of the machine in the shop and are used to compensate for inaccuracies in the shape of the castings used. These screws do not require adjustment in the field.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a finishing machine, in combination, a traveling supporting frame, a carriage mounted thereon, means to move the carriage back and forth across said frame on a predetermined path, a finishing screed for action on road surface materials, members connecting the screed to the carriage to move across the frame with the latter, spaced guide members mounted on the frame for vertical movement, and having bearings thereon, a, shaft received in said bearings, eccentric pins on the ends of the shaft mounted in the frame, an arm secured to the shaft and adjustable to turn the same for shifting the shaft and guide members up or down on said pins, an axle carried by said guide members, and a wheel supported on said axle.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, combined 14 with a yoke connecting the shaft and axle and engaging the wheel for moving same, and an adjusting member on the frame connected to said yoke to slide same lengthwise of the shaft and axle and thus move the wheel horizontally relatively to the frame.

3. In combination, a frame, and a wheel supporting unit therefor comprising a wheel, an axle on which the wheel is slidable, a yoke engaging the wheel to move same along the axle, a shaft mounted in bearings on the frame supporting the yoke, guide members movable vertically on the frame and carrying said axle, a screw on the frame coacting with the yoke to shift same and wheel along the shaft and axle, and means to move the shaft vertically and bodily on the frame to raise or lower the wheel.

4. In a finishing machine in combination, a traveling supporting frame, a transverse curved track and flat track mounted on said traveling frame, a carriage supported on said curved track for back and forth movement across the frame, a lever pivoted to a fixed pivot point on said carriage, a control member rollably supported on said fiat track and supporting said lever at a point spaced from said fixed pivot point, a longitudinal finishing screed for action on road surfacing materials, means for suspending said finishing screed from a point on said lever, and means to adjust said point along said lever to vary the influence of said control member to vary the crown.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the carriage at the said one point, an arcuate slot is provided in the lever, a link having one end comprising the other point is movable in said slot, and the adjusting means compels movement of said one end.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever is provided with a portion adapted to engage said control member, said other point comprises a pivot member movable along said lever, and the adjusting means includes a screw member for moving said pivot member.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever includes a projecting portion, the control member comprises a vertically movable part adapted to engage said portion, and the said other point is movable in an arcuate slot in said lever.

B. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever is pivoted at said one point to the carriage, the lever is provided with a portion for engagement by the control member, the other of said points constitutes the end of a link pivotally engaged with said lever and movable in a slot therein, said link being connected to said screed, and the adjusting means includes a crank for moving the pivoted end of said link in said slot.

DANIEL C. JONES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,817,161 Moses et al Aug. 4, 1931 1,832,951 Thorson Nov. 24, 1931 2,084,068 Vinton June 15, 1937 2,214,093 Venable Sept. 10, 1940 2,453,510 Jackson Nov. 9, 1948 

